


Two

by asianlychallengedasian



Category: No. 6 - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Study, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:42:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29757738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asianlychallengedasian/pseuds/asianlychallengedasian
Summary: It had been six years since he lost his academic chance of a lifetime(for harboring a fugitive).It had been two years since he nearly got put into a correctional facility(and saved by said fugitive).It had been two years since he saw Nezumi.
Relationships: Inukashi & Shion (No. 6), Nezumi/Shion (No. 6)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had 2000 words to write this and went way over. Whoops 
> 
> I have more i just split it into two parts because if i did write more it wouldn't make sense where I left off :(

Shion was cold natured, even before his body had been rapidly aged by a parasitic wasp. Though the wasp had hardly gone past its larval stage, its side effects were evident– his long fluffy white hair and spiral scars the most so. 

So when winter came, Shion was prone to bundling up in layers of clothing. It was something everyone around him came to expect– one would rarely see him without a cardigan on, even in the summer. 

It wasn’t much of a shock to see Shion buried underneath his comforter, only tufts of snow white hair peeking out. Inukashi invites themself in, pulling up a chair to Shion’s bedside. “Shion, get up.” They said. “Or did you forget what today is?”

Shion didn’t respond for a moment, before rolling over. Inukashi growled. “Shion, you lazy…” Inukashi sighed. They gesture to the brown, aging she-dog that followed Shion around like a… Well, they’re sure they don’t need a comparison for that. The dog pins her ears to her hair, but pulls off the blanket with obedience. 

Underneath lied a rumpled Shion. His bed clothing was rumpled, and his now shoulder length hair was a rat’s nest. He shivered as his body recognized its situation, and he finally sat up. His reddish brown eyes were dully looking at Inukashi’s, in a way that Inukashi didn’t like.

_ It’s one of those days.  _ They came to realize. They shifted.  _ Shion, why today, of all days,  _ they sighed inwardly.  _ The day when Nezumi… _

Something sparked to life in Shion’s eyes. It wasn’t his normal sparkle, but it was recognition. That was what was important. It wasn’t going to be one of the days where Shion didn’t move an inch from bed, or one of the days that Shion moved like a ghost around his one bedroom apartment on the West Block side of Number Six. Sure, it wasn’t ideal, but it was something. Inukashi could deal with that.

“Morning, softie.” Inukashi said. “You’d better get dressed.” They start rummaging through Shion’s belongings. 

“Thanks Inukashi, but I got it,” Shion lifted himself off the bed. “Can I ask you to heat up my food? I’ll be down in a minute.”

Inukashi grumbled. “I’m not a damn housekeeper.” But regardless, they leave the room, even while grumbling all the way.

The floor felt cold to Shion’s feet. He quietly made his way to his dresser, and reorganised his drawer back to the way it had been before. He didn’t particularly care if his clothes were messy, it’s just, he has a lot to do today, and he, honestly, would rather stay in bed than face any of it.

He settled on an outfit. Over a layer or two of thinner clothing, he was wearing a white hoodie under an oversized button down that draped over his shoulders like a cape. His pants weren’t too different from usual, black and with combat boots made for walking around the surrounding area. 

He looked in the mirror, and began to sort out his hair. It had been always hard to manage, but since he grew it out, it had even be  _ more so _ , so usually, he just did whatever would work with it. Today, it just so happened to be willing to work with him for a half up, half down hairstyle. He stared at his reflection for a moment longer. He didn’t really see anything. He just stood there, gazing.

He really didn’t want today to begin.

“Shion!” An annoyed Inukashi yelled from downstairs.

But regardless, it had to, even if he didn’t want it to.

Shion’s breakfast was toast with some natto. Not the best and most appetizing breakfast, but something easy to keep down. Just what he needed this morning. 

Inukashi sat across from him. “Is that all you’ll have?” They asked. “It’s going to be a long day.”

“You worry too much,” He said, with a smile not quite reaching his eyes. 

Inukashi only offered a shrug. “Suit yourself,” They concluded. The table went silent as Shion finished his food. Inukashi busied themself with the brown dog, feeding her some of Shion’s old meat he kept in the fridge. 

Shion took a large gulp of his water as he finished the food. “I appreciate you coming over this morning,” Shion sounded a little more alive, a little more like himself. Inukashi made sure they were faced away from the boy– man– so he didn’t see the smile working its way onto their face.

“Thanks for not killing me for breaking and entering.” They said with some mirth. Shion laughed back at them, and picked up the bowl and plate. He began to rinse them out, carefully and methodically washing the dishes in sink. Shion didn’t look up.

Inukashi turned slightly to face the sink. The sun rose on the other side of the apartment, so it still looked dark out on this side. The sun was just beginning to angle so it could be seen over the roof top. Inukashi tapped on the table.

“You don’t have to see him, you know?” They said lowly.

Shion laughed. It might’ve sent a shiver down anyone else’s spine. It was a mirthless laugh, a laugh that held danger behind it. She’d heard it before. On other people, and on Shion. Shion didn’t have anything to say after the laughter died down, he only finished washing out the dishes and placed them on the drying rack.

Inukashi pet the dog’s head, looking into her eyes. The dog was just as worried as she was, but even she was being pushed away. Inukashi looked up. “I’m serious.” They said. “He doesn’t deserve to see you now. After all these years he’s been gone, he should just stay fucking gone—”

“Inukashi–” His voice was dangerously low. Inukashi fell quiet. “Drop it.”

If Inukashi knew how to hold their tongue, they might have. “No, I can’t stand to see you so beat up over  _ Nezumi. _ ” They spit the name out like it was a disease. “He’s hurting you by coming back now, he’s hurting all of us–” Shion turned around. Even that was enough to stop them, when they saw the look on his face.

A cold smile. His skin stretched unnaturally. Something looked wrong in the smile. Inukashi shut up. It was a dangerous smile. “We can talk about this later.” He said.

_ Also known as never, _ Inukashi knew. But they knew the ice was thin right now. Lay low, and stay above water. 

Shion dried his hands, and looked at the clock. “I should really get going, he might be early.” Shion said. “Are you coming with?”

Inukashi grumbled, but shook their head. “I just came here for you. I have some other shit I need to do.” They stood. “I’ll be headed out, then.” They said abruptly. They shoved their shoes on, without waiting for a goodbye from Shion. Shion didn’t offer one. When the dealer was nearly out the door, they paused. 

“I’ll call tonight. Pick up.” They said, and left without another word.

Shion knew he probably could’ve handled that with more tact, but honestly, he felt strung out. His nerves were shot from years of worry, and years of waiting. He couldn’t wait to see the grey-eyed boy, but he honestly doesn’t know what he’ll do. He’s imagined this a million different times. Each time turned out somewhat different, a million different ways for a million different greetings. Most of them ended up with him punching the taller man in the face. 

On the other hand, he could feel a tingling sensation up his spine as he thought about his… friend. His hands and feet went cold, and he grinded his teeth to prevent a full body shudder. He knew that seeing him would bring everything back, everything bad and terrible about himself, about his memories. But he knew that it’d bring back a piece of him that had been long dead as well.

Regardless, their meeting time was fast approaching, and if he didn’t leave soon, he might miss the only chance he might get, ever. 

So despite his feet being frozen to the ground, he picked himself up by his bootstraps. He tore his feet from the frozen floor, leaving them raw and ruined. New skin would grow. And he would too.

So the man walked himself to the front door, slowly grabbed the door handle. He didn’t hesitate to turn the frozen knob, cracking the ice that had covered him. He gave a small smile.

He had two hours before he saw Nezumi again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like the rest of this! It's rather short, but I hope its in character!!!

Being rather well known for rebuilding the place that was once No. 6, it was hard for him to just be at the train station in peace. People would approach him as some celebrity (he wasn’t), a friend (he wasn’t), or a savior of their peace( _ he wasn’t _ ).

But it passed the time quicker, for better or for worse. Soon, it was ten o’clock, and Nezumi’s train should arrive soon. The intra-city trains rarely ran on time, but the trains arriving from the other zones tended to run on time. 

The train rolled in at 10:02. They released the passengers at 10:04. It took less than a minute to spot the long haired man.

Shion didn’t know what ran through his head, but he was firmly rooted to his spot. It wasn’t like some romantic comedy, where he would run and they’d conjoin into one melted together mess. Nezumi approached him as if he’d rather be anywhere else.

“Hey,” Nezumi started.

_ Is that all you have to say? _ Shion thought bitterly. To be fair, he himself didn’t say anything. He only lifted his hand in half-hearted recompense. They walked away from the terminal in silence.

On the streets of the new city, Shion finally spoke. “How was the trip?” It was dreadfully awkward and stinted.

“Terrible, thanks.” Nezumi said

Shion bit his tongue to prevent himself from retorting. He took another moment. “You’re cheerful as ever.” He finally decided on.

“Definitely. You expected me to change?”

“I expected you to grow up a bit, yes,” Shion couldn’t bite his tongue that time. Sure, Shion knew that two years ago, they wouldn’t have worked out (in the way Shion had wanted) even if Nezumi had stayed. But after  _ wherever the hell he went,  _ Shion expected him to be less… abrasive. More grown up. Shion had stayed here, changed, for better  _ and  _ worse, while Nezumi apparently just stayed the same.

Nezumi had stopped in the middle of the road. Shion didn’t stop much further past him. The roads still were sparse, so the people who walked past steered clear of the two of them. 

“Oh, do you want me to go, then?” Nezumi said through grounded teeth. 

Shion shrugged. “Wouldn’t be the first time you left me.”

Nezumi laughed a bitter laugh. It tasted like medicine, and looked like a wolf’s snarl. “I see you haven’t lost your snark.” He laughed.

“Of course not.” Shion snipped. They stood there, just glaring for a moment. The tension could be cut through with a knife.

“Excuse me!” Suddenly, the tension disappeared into thin air as a small voice rang from behind Shion. Shion’s anger melted off his face, and only a smile that didn’t quite reach the eyes was left behind.

“Yes?” He asked. Nezumi was almost impressed by Shion’s acting skills. They had improved since he last seen him.

“I’m… um,” The little boy started, “I’m Osaku. You’re Mr. Shion, right?” Nezumi saw Shion nod from behind, and the kid’s face absolutely lit up. “It’s nice to meet you… Mama talks about you a lot!” 

“Oh, tell her my thanks,” There’s a note of something foreign in his voice, something that Nezumi can’t place. “Where might she be?” He looks around for an older woman, and he looks down.

“I don’t know… We got separated-- but I know she’s looking for me! She might be mad though…” He pointed his toes inwards. Shion kneeled to meet the boy. Nezumi half debated on just walking away. He wasn’t here to watch Shion run an orphanage.

“I got lost a lot as a kid, too,” Shion admitted, almost like telling a secret. “She won’t be too mad. Just worried.”

Osaku nodded resolutely. “You’re right, Mr. Shion.”

Nezumi remembered Kalan and the other children of West Block, and when Shion would read to them. He didn’t want to think about it, but memories, good or bad, always floated up like a mountain and flowed over his mind.

Despite what he’d like to pretend, nearly every waking thought of Nezumi’s was to do with Shion. He thought of him when he saw the color white. He thought of him when he saw the color red. Of purple, of blue, of sky, of dust. Everything could remind him of Shion, and he had left him to escape his influence.

It seemed he never could.

But as time continued, he realized that each memory became softer. But as they began to lose their edge, they became fuzzy. Shion became less of a threat slowly, and more of… a safe space. One where he could return to when it was dangerous out, and he needed a place to escape to. His gran would’ve liked it beaten out of him, but as time passed, he came to realize the falsities that came alongside those words.

The whole reason he came back was to test his theory. He wasn’t sure the reason it failed, but he knew it did. Shion was different. Though he never wanted him to change, he had went on without him. Sure, Nezumi had changed as well, but Shion was like a different person. More bitter. Less trusting.

Or was this Shion all along? Did he simply not see it? Or was his memory false?

No… Shion had changed.

Shion had been talking to Osaku’s mother since she arrived, and she held her son like he was a lifeline. Osaku wasn’t crying, he was just hugging back. He hadn’t been scared. He trusted his mom would find him.

Shion finally bid the mother and son goodbye, and turned back to face Nezumi. The tension almost was higher than it was before, but then Shion blinked, and sighed.

“Let’s get back to my apartment.” He said simply.

Nezumi followed in silence. It was quiet until they got there.

Nezumi took a look around Shion’s apartment once he arrived. Shion had always been neat, but this was extreme. It felt unlived in. Like Shion just simply slept there. There was nothing personal. There was an upstairs he hadn’t seen yet, but he suspected it was more of the same. 

“I don’t have a spare room,” Shion said. “You’ll have to set up on the couch. Is that alright?”

“I can sleep anywhere, your Majesty.” Nezumi bowed ever so slightly. Shion stiffened. He didn’t say anything else. Nezumi bit back a sigh. “Sure, I don’t mind.”

Shion nodded. Nezumi almost choked him. He wanted to know what the man was thinking. He used to be so easy to read, and maybe he still was, but Nezumi had grown rusty and could only read the most obvious of cue.

Shion had changed so much he couldn’t recall if he had changed at all. How ironic. 

Nezumi decided it was his turn to speak. “Have rebuilding efforts gone well?”

Shion was quiet for a moment, before he said, “Yes.” There was a long beat, and Nezumi felt like he was talking to a  _ wall _ , with how little Shion was offering. Shion finally continued, to Nezumi’s hidden joy. Nezumi didn’t listen super intently, because honestly, Nezumi couldn’t care about the politics of this place, but it was so nice to hear Shion’s voice again. 

Shion’s voice was strong. It was deeper than it had been before he had left, and it was no longer governed by lilts– he sounded confident. Not that he wasn’t before, but something had changed. Nezumi tuned back in when he heard his name.

“So, how about you, Nezumi?” His voice lifted. “Has… traveling suited you well?” 

_ No, not at all,  _ Nezumi thought. 

“Sure, I guess.” Nezumi said. There was no need for him to tell Shion how the other cities were doing. Shion had been going on diplomatic missions to the other cities himself, so there wasn’t much that he had missed out on. Nezumi didn’t bother telling him about what was going on in between the cities. there was just as much suffering as there was in the West Block.

Shion’s eyes narrowed. “You could at least put in the same amount of effort I’m putting in,” He muttered. 

Nezumi resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Maybe I’m trying. Maybe I just suck at talking.”

“Bullshit,” Shion said. “You just don’t care enough.”

Nezumi stepped forward menacingly. His blood boiled. “And what if I didn’t?” He said.

“I’d tell you ‘you didn’t have to come’. You really think I need you to exist?” Shion said.

This time, there was no reprieve of a child running up to them. Reddish eyes met steely grey, and neither backed down. It could’ve been hours. Neither of them would’ve known.

Finally,  _ finally,  _ Shion broke his gaze. It was quiet before he spoke. “You really haven’t changed, have you.” 

Nezumi stared down at Shion, before breaking off into laughter. He wasn’t sure what kind of laughter it was. “And you’ve changed a lot.”

“What was I supposed to do,” Shion almost begged. “You left me at my weakest. I had to.”

Nezumi was quiet for another moment. “I regret it, you know.” 

“Regret what?”

“Leaving you.” 

Shion laughed. It was almost sad. “I wish you didn’t leave, either.”

“But we needed it.” Nezumi said. He added on something quickly, “I needed to learn… how to be a person. A person who was worthy of you.”

Shion looked almost angry, before it all escaped him like a trapped bird. “I needed it too.” He admitted. “I needed to learn how to be a stronger person.”

Nezumi moved from his threatening position over Shion. He moved to a softer position. He wanted to reach out and touch his long hair. Did he grow it out for a reason? 

“You were already strong.” Nezumi said softly. “You  _ are  _ strong.” His hand raised, but never quite touched the man’s cheek.

Shion leaned his head into Nezumi’s hand. “Sure.” Shion said without certainty. Nezumi let out a short breath.

_ Never sigh,  _ his gran’s voice rang in his head. He shook it away.

“Thank you,” Nezumi said.

Shion’s face contorted in confusion. “For what?”

Nezumi’s eyes lit up in a smile. “For everything.” He said seriously. “For letting me come back.”

“You sort of forced your way back, you know,” Shion laughed a little. “I had no choice in it.”

Nezumi looked amused. “Maybe you’re right.” He said. “Thanks for not kicking me out.”

Shion moved away, a smile on his face. “Stop thanking me, it’s not like you.” Nezumi let out a full laugh.

“It  _ might  _ be like me. Maybe I  _ have  _ changed.” Nezumi offered.

“Maybe you have.” Shion shoved him a little. “Maybe I could find out.”

The two stood for a moment, before they both laughed. 

“Maybe.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
